Food trucks roll into Novi High School on Friday, Sept. 25, when the Novi Athletic Boosters host their annual Tastefest alongside a varsity football game and Wildcat Youth Night.

Food trucks open at 5 p.m. ahead of the Wildcats' home game against Hartland, according to the Novi Athletic Boosters on X. The evening pairs Tastefest with Wildcat Youth Night, a recurring program that invites younger students to experience Novi athletics up close.

Kaija Juszak, the boosters' vice president according to June meeting minutes, is chairing this year's Tastefest, per August meeting minutes. Amanda Hartke serves as president of the nonprofit, which funds student athletics at Novi High School and Novi Middle School.

The boosters have staged Tastefest as a fall football tradition since at least 2021. In past years, the event has featured food trucks outside the stadium, vendors inside, a Fun Zone for kids and raffles. The 2024 edition drew seven food trucks and had TDR Orthodontics as a Fun Zone sponsor. Organizers were expecting roughly $10,000 in profit from that event, according to meeting minutes.

A 2024 Wildcat Youth Night brought its own flair. Ford's Garage sponsored that September football game, parked a Model T on site and handed out plastic megaphones to kids.

This year's promotional flyer lists a $6 general admission fee at the gate, with Novi students in grades K-6 admitted to the game for free if accompanied by an adult; organizers note it is not a drop-off event. The Fun Zone costs an additional $6. The boosters have not published this year's specific food truck or vendor lineup.

The grade range for Wildcat Youth Night is unclear. The boosters expanded the program from elementary-only to K-8 in January 2023, but recent social media posts promoting the Sept. 25 event list it as open to K-6 students.

Residents can find more details on the Novi Athletic Boosters' Tastefest page. The Sept. 25 game kicks off at Novi High School, 24062 Taft Road.